Antiproliferative Effects of Garlic-Derived and Other Allium Related Compounds

Abstract

An extensive and expanding information base that incorporates data from epidemiologic, animal, and laboratory investigations documents the relation between garlic consumption and decreased risk of developing cancer at various organ sites (1, 2, 3). Garlic and other allium-related plants contain alliin, an allylsulfinothiolated derivative of cysteine, that is transformed exogenously into a number of mono-, di-, and triallylsulfinyl analogues when the bulb is crushed, minced, or damaged (5). These bioactive compounds interact with a number of molecular targets whose functions range from control of cell cycle to expression of crucial antioxidant and detoxification enzymes (6, 7, 8). Modulation of each of these processes may underlie garlic’s putative anticancer potential.

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